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SOUTH ATLANTIC FERRY ROUTE TO AFRICA - FERRY FLIGHTS

6)THE LONG HOP




The photos above show crew members gathered near one C47. Thousands of US made aircrafts were ferried through Natal bound for British bases in Western Africa. 10,000 miles separated Miami from Cairo, the final destination along the dangerous South Atlantic expanses and the Takoradi route.




One Douglas C-47 at night during refueling at Natal.



One crewmember ready for start the R-1830 engines of a C-47. Brazilian authorities were completely cooperative allowing the American aircrafts of all types to make stops for refueling at their bases along its lengthwise north-northeast coast.




Photo shows the interior of one C-47 with ferry tanks. In the second, the plane is parked waiting for its crew. They were vital for the long hop across the south Atlantic. Hundreds of them were operated by civilian crews especially trained in the US.




Two pictures show several C-47 parked . The second shows one parked in front of the improvised Command Post at Parnamirim Field. Ferry operations in the south Atlantic began in June 1941.



Close up in the aviation 100 octane gasoline stored at open air at Parnamirim. The first ten transports made their first flight in 21/Jun/41. An incident occurred when the planes arrived at Belem with British markings. Brazilian authorities held the crews for three days until the planes had the markings changed to American ones.



The photo shows two crewmembers talking after their arrival. Brazil wanted to avoid attrition with Axis powers once the country desired to preserve its neutrality.




Panoramic view of several planes parked at Parnamirim Field. With all restrictions raised the planes took off for Natal and then for the long hop to Africa. All planes arrived safely in Bathurst, British Gambia.


The picture shows the gate of Parnamirim Field in the early stage of its construction. Later it would be a huge one.



Crewmembers watching the take off of one cargo plane bound for Africa.The first batch of ferrying aircrafts numbering twenty airplanes crossed the Atlantic in June 1941. All planes arrived without incident at their final destination Lagos Nigeria where they were handed over to the British crews. From there they flew Four thousand miles to Cairo crossing the jungles of Equatorial Africa and the Sudanese desert as far as Egypt.


 

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